A good tablet can help you be more productive. Compared to laptop computers, they're more portable and easier to use on the go. But what makes a tablet good for business? A sharp display and a fast processor are nice, but the best work slates offer extra features, like stylus support and advanced multitasking. Here's a roundup of the best business tablets for 2015, separated into categories for large and small devices.

Large tablets (9-12 inches)

Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000 [New & Notable]

Operating system: Windows 8.1

Dell's updated Venue 11 Pro tablet is still one of the best business slates out there. The 10.8-inch slate comes with a supersharp full-HD display and desktop-grade power in a slim package, thanks to Intel's new Core M processor, which doesn't require a fan for cooling. And you can upgrade the tablet with a slew of add-ons, including a snap-on keyboard that lets you use the device like a clamshell laptop, and a slim keyboard that comes with a kickstand to prop up the tablet. Another option is Dell's active stylus, which features a pressure-sensitive tip for more accurate digital note-taking. Dell also sells a desktop dock, so you can easily park the Venue 11 Pro on your work desk with accessories like a large monitor, mouse and external hard drive. Overall, it's one of the most well-rounded work tablets yet.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

Operating system: Windows 8.1

Microsoft's new Surface Pro 3 tablet is the biggest, best Surface tablet yet. With the optional Type Cover attached, it's essentially a super-thin laptop that has more in common with Apple's MacBook Air than other slates on this list. That's because it offers a powerful Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processor, and runs the full version of Windows 8.1, so it can handle all the Windows programs you already use to run your business. It also gives you a lot more screen space to work on than most tablets. The 12-inch Surface Pro 3 also comes with a stylus and a built-in digitizer, which adds pressure sensitivity to the display for smoother, more accurate note-taking. And it's compatible with a variety of productivity-boosting peripherals, including a desktop dock for a seamless transition between home and office.

Apple iPad Air 2

Operating system: iOS 8

Great apps and top-tier hardware make the iPad Air one of the best business slates around. As its name implies, the 9.7-inch tablet is extremely thin and light, so it's easy to carry on your commute. Under the hood it packs Apple's speedy, 64-bit A7 processor, so business users can expect smooth multitasking and good performance during daily use. The other hardware is the iPad Air's bright, colorful Retina display. Users can also take advantage of the Apple App store, which boasts arguably the best selection of business and productivity apps on any mobile platform. With the right apps and a Bluetooth keyboard accessory, the iPad Air is everything you need to view and edit documents, take notes, plan your workday and manage your business's bottom line. You can pair it with a keyboard, but unlike other tablets on this list, you can't connect a mouse or larger external monitor.

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro

Operating system: Android 4.4 KitKat

Lenovo's supersize new Yoga Tablet 2 Pro has a few features that will really benefit business users. For starters, the device features a huge 13-inch display, making it one of the largest Android tablets on the market and giving you a ton of room to work. Then, there's the built-in kickstand, which provides a convenient way to prop up your tablet when you pair your device with a Bluetooth keyboard. But the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro's standout feature has to be the projector built into the side of its battery cylinder. Just turn it on and point your device at the nearest wall to mirror whatever is on your screen. That could seriously come in handy for presentations during business meetings.

Toshiba Encore 2 Write

Operating system: Windows 8.1

Toshiba's new Windows tablet packs a pen and a pressure-sensitive display, making note-taking a breeze. The device actually comes in both 8- and 10.1-inch versions, but the slates are otherwise identical. Both offer a pen that clips to the outside of the slate for safekeeping, as well as handy apps such as TruNote, which lets you scribble down notes and mark up documents and images right on the screen. The program can even convert handwriting into text so it's searchable later on. But what sets the slates apart from most Windows 8 tablets is the Wacom digitizer technology, which lets the tablets determine how hard you're pressing down with the stylus. That way you can vary the width and darkness of your marks, just like you can with a real ink pen.

Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2

Operating system: Android

The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 might be the best Android tablet for business. The centerpiece of the slate is its huge 12.2-inch touch screen, which dwarfs the 10-inch display on Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1. That's a big plus for business users, since it affords a lot more screen space for work tasks like managing your email inbox and running your favorite productivity apps. But the tablet's standout feature is its stylus integration. The included S Pen stylus slides in and out of a slot on the edge of the device, so you can start taking notes right on its pressure-sensitive screen. And alongside the Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2, the Note Pro 12.2 is the only Android slate that can run up to four aps on-screen at the same time, for better multitasking.

Lenovo ThinkPad 10

Operating system: Windows 8.1

When you attach Lenovo's keyboard dock, the ThinkPad 10 becomes a solid and relatively affordable alternative to Microsoft's pricey Surface Pro 3. Like the Surface, the 10.1-inch ThinkPad 10 doesn't come with a keyboard; the accessory is sold separately for $120. Snap it on for extended typing sessions, and remove it when you want to use the device as a tablet. Lenovo's slate is also one of the few tablets that comes with a stylus out of the box, so you can write notes and draw charts right on the display. And it makes for a decent desktop replacement if you connect it to Lenovo's desktop tablet dock, which is sold separately and adds a variety of extra ports so you can attach accessories like a mouse, an external hard drive or a large monitor.

Small tablets (7-8.9 inches)

Dell Venue 8 7000 [New & Notable]

Operating system: Android 4.4 KitKat

Dell's updated Venue 8 7000 tablet is one of the most portable business slates around. At just 6 mm thick, it's a hair thinner than even the iPad Air 2 (6.1 mm), making it the world's thinnest tablet. The Android-powered Venue 8 7000 also has a surprisingly small footprint, thanks to super-thin bezels around three sides of the device. And weighing just half a pound, it's lighter than the iPad mini 3, too. Other hardware highlights include a super-sharp, 8.4-inch, 2,560 x 1,600-pixel display and a microSD card slot for expanded storage. Add a few Dell accessories, like a stylus and keyboard dock, and you've got a solid productivity device that won't weigh you down.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4

Operating system: Android 4.4 KitKat

Want a small tablet that's exceptionally thin? Samsung's 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S is one of the thinnest slates around, with a profile measuring just 6.6 mm. It also sports a high-res display and extremely speedy processor. But it's Samsung's unique software features that really make the Galaxy Tab S such a great business slate. That includes Multi Window, a multitasking feature that lets you run two apps side by side in a split-screen view; most Android tablets are limited to running one app at a time. The Galaxy Tab S also supports KNOX, a security suite that lets you run apps inside a secure profile so your sensitive business data can't be accessed by other apps. It also includes a fingerprint scanner that lets you unlock your device and access Private Mode, a hidden folder where you can store your work files, by swiping your finger over the home button.

Apple iPad mini 3

Operating system: iOS 8

Apple's new iPad mini 3 may not be much different from last year's model, but it's still one of the best small business tablets around. The slate sports a sharp 7.9-inch display and Apple's powerful A7 processor, which delivers fast performance and snappy multitasking. And it runs on iOS 8, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system. New software features include a revamped mail app and the ability to install widgets inside the notification tray. The biggest difference between the iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3 is the addition of a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, embedded right in the device's home button, so you can quickly unlock your device by holding your finger over it. That's a big perk for business users who want to keep their work slate on lockdown. If that feature isn't important to you, opt for last year's iPad mini 2, which lacks Touch ID but is otherwise identical to the iPad mini 3 for $100 less.

ASUS VivoTab Note 8

Operating system: Windows 8.1

The VivoTab Note 8 by ASUS has a few features you won't find on many 8-inch slates, such as a built-in stylus. It also packs a pressure-sensitive display, which allows for precise and natural handwriting. That's a big perk for business users who want to take notes and draw charts right on their Android tablet's screen; while you can buy a capacitive stylus that will work with any Android tablet, most do not detect varying levels of pressure. Plus, the VivoTab Note 8 has a slot at the top of the device where you can stow your stylus when it's not use, ensuring that it's always on hand when you need it. Stylus aside, ASUS's tablet packs a sharp 8-inch display and a quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM. And since it runs the full version of Windows 8, it supports all the software you already use on your work computer. As an added bonus, Microsoft is throwing in a free copy of Microsoft Office when you buy the VivoTab Note 8.

Google Nexus 7

Operating system: Android 4.4 KitKat

Google's second-generation Nexus 7 device is more than a year old now, but it's still one of the better small business slates. The Android tablet offers a sharp 7-inch display and a speedy quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, so business users can expect a good picture and fast performance. But what really sets the Nexus 7 apart from other small slates is the Nexus brand. Since Nexus devices are developed by Google, they're the first to receive software updates when a new version of Android is released; other tablets experience long delays between updates, as manufacturers scramble to integrate new features into their customized versions of Android. That means the Nexus 7 will receive Android 5.0 Lollipop on day one, which offers improved performance, longer battery life, new security features and a lot more.

Amazon Fire HD 6 & 7

Operating system: Fire OS (Android variant)

Amazon is finally offering something no one else has: a solid tablet for under $100. The new 6-inch Amazon Fire HD 6 is a super-compact 6-inch slate that offers a zippy quad-core processor, an HD screen and a slew of software features – all for just $99. It launched alongside the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD 7, a slightly bigger version with identical specs that costs $40 more. Both tablets run on Amazon's own Fire OS, a heavily modified version of Android that's designed to be easy to use. You can select apps from a familiar grid or from the "carousel," a persistent rotator that makes your recently used apps just one tap away. There's also support for multiple password-protected profiles, so you can share your tablet with friends or family members without worrying that your work data will be tampered with. The biggest limitation of the Kindle Fire line is that there's no access to Google Play, the main Android app store. All apps must be downloaded from Amazon's Appstore, which has a more limited selection.

Editors Picks

Brett Nuckles

Brett Nuckles has been a working journalist since 2009. He got his start in local newspapers covering community news, local government, education and more before he joined the Business News Daily staff in 2013. He graduated from Ohio University, where he studied Journalism and English. Follow him on Twitter @BrettNuckles.